Entertainment

7 Services That Apple Just Challenged or Changed

Apple unveiled a heaping helping of news at WWDC 2011, the Apple developers’ conference, on Monday. And, as always when innovations come to light, we've been thinking about what preexisting services would be disrupted.

From its camera to the cloud, Apple announced some big news regarding its next product iterations. Here's our rundown of which apps and services are likely feeling a bit threatened at present.

7+ Services That Apple Just Challenged

Facebook

Well, not exactly killed, but snubbed, for sure. Apple has added Twitter everywhere in iOS 5, so you can tweet contacts, articles, YouTube videos and many more elements, without having to do any cut-and-pasting.

Instapaper

There’s a new offline reading feature called Reading List built in to Safari, which spells major trouble for services such as Read It Later, Instapaper and Readability (which Apple previously rejected). In fact, when Steve Jobs announced this feature, Instapaper creator Marco Arment tweeted in dismay.

Camera+

Apple has also beefed up its camera offering, making it easier to access, and adding a grid and editing features. This seems a challenge to pre-existing photo apps -- although Instagram and the like will likely be fine, as Apple is not adding any filters. (Note: Apple previously pulled an update of Camera+ from the app store for including the ability to use the volume button to take snaps, a feature the new camera will include.)

Blackberry Messenger

Apple unveiled iMessage, a new texting service that works between iPhones, iPads and iPod touches. You can send SMS, photos, videos and so on from your iPad now. It also offers receipts, so you know messages have been sent, and a notification that someone is typing a response — just as you would get in IM. Anyone looking to switch from Blackberry to iPhone has fewer excuses now.

MobileMe

MobileMe, Apple’s previous syncing service, will be shutting down in June of 2012. Previous users will be able to move their MobileMe mail, contacts, calendars, and bookmarks to iCloud.

Google Docs

Documents can be stored in iCloud, too.

Amazon Cloud Player & Google Music Beta

Unlike the above offerings, Apple was able to score the licenses necessary to store music in the cloud, sans uploading, with iTunes in the Cloud. It also introduced iTunes Match, which will let users to store non-iTunes music in the cloud as well.

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